Dengue cases in city continue to increase
Dengue cases in Iloilo City continue to increase despite the assurance from the Department of Health that the number of dengue patients is going down.
The number of deaths due to dengue also rose to 22 as registered cases reached 1,648 in the past nine months.
Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the battle against dengue is now concentrated in the barangays and the city government is doing everything to help fight the spread of the disease cause by virus carried by mosquitoes.
Mabilog said the current trend shows that the barangays are now aware of dengue hemorrhagic fever.
Deaths was still at 18 in August, but only four fatalities were recorded in September.
Mabilog said various interventions and health-related activities are being brought to the barangays to show the city government’s care and commitment against dengue.
Families are encouraged to use mosquito nets during the night and children and adults, to wear long sleeves when exposed to places with mosquitoes.
Also, it is suggested that homeowners put up screen on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from entering. The use of anti-mosquito lotion is also encouraged.
Barangay officials and volunteers, tanods and other concerned private groups are currently fielded in the barangays to monitor and render immediate assistance to residents suspected to suffer from dengue fever.
Mabilog said that dengue is now an all-year round disease common mostly during the rainy days when there are more potential breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti disease-carrying mosquitoes.
To prevent dengue, the public are advised to destroy all possible mosquito breeding sites like old tires, softdrink bottles and tin cans, and to use mosquito nets or protective clothing and fogging may be done only in outbreak areas.*PNA
